Should the Title Nurse be Changed ? ? ?

[CaLLaCoDe]

today i was chatting with another rn who believes that the term nurse for our title is outdated and may not fully represent our field as well as it used to. and perhaps the title nurse turns men off from persuing a nursing degree, way too feminine for a man to own. not to say that we don't nurse patients back to health and nurse our drinks while griping about work, however we're not all nursing babies either!

what are your ideas concerning this topic? do you have any suggestions as to a better term for us nurses other than nurse?

i think direct care provider as a title could curb our patient/resident/client's appetite from calling out "nurse!" as if it were a curse word.

[MQ Edna]

After thinking about it for a while, I think the title should stay the way it is. If anything changing something that has be ingrained in our minds practially forever will probably do nothing more than harm the perception of the profession.

I think slowly but surely the idea of "nurse" is slowly changing into a more realistic idea of what you guys actualy do. (Can't call myself one... yet.)

[Sabby_NC]

Nope I always wanted to be a nurse, I did the training to become a nurse, and have been a NURSE for over 30 years.

Please call me a nurse. :)

Although I am a nurse case manager

[MQ Edna]

Nope I always wanted to be a nurse, I did the training to become a nurse, and have been a NURSE for over 30 years.

Please call me a nurse. :)

Although I am a nurse case manager

I think you're really Secret Squirrel under cover.

[gt4everpn, BSN, RN]

no one word or phrase could ever describe the amount of work nursing entails! this profession has history, why would we want to change the name?? people will still call us nurses!! the name of itself pulls alot of weight!!

[Sabby_NC]

I think you're really Secret Squirrel under cover.

LOL You are so on to me eh? Hahahahahaha:lol2:

Darn it I thought my cover was a good one too

[llg, PhD, RN]

After thinking about it for a while, I think the title should stay the way it is. If anything changing something that has be ingrained in our minds practially forever will probably do nothing more than harm the perception of the profession.

I think slowly but surely the idea of "nurse" is slowly changing into a more realistic idea of what you guys actualy do. (Can't call myself one... yet.)

How wonderful it is to meet someone who "thinks about things for a while" and comes to a reasonable conclusion.

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

This was discussed a bit on the Men in Nursing forum. There were a couple of good suggestions--I remember I especially liked "Tank Commander." Sounded kinda macho, and a little intimidating.

But on the whole, I worked my butt off to become a nurse, and that's good enough for me.

[Nursebarebari]

Yes, in this modern days it should be changed to "patients maid"

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

I have always fancied myself a "Medical Marine" We are working in the field of medical care but must be strong, fearless, inventive, slightly crazy and get the job done with little to no supplies when needed. When my unit manager in her cheap kmart suit (you can read my other posts I am a cheapskate but still...) sat me down about my workload and "time management skills" I kinda turned into Jack Nicholson on the witness stand in a few good men "you WANT me on that hall, you NEED me on that hall" etc.... HaHaHaHa:lol2:

Maybe we can just change it to Supernurse. That will be more accurate and what man never wanted to be Superman ?

[cuppwk01]

I am a male RN and I admit that the title "Nurse" was one obstacle I had to entering the field, and is one of the few things I don't like about it. I'm much more likely to tell people I'm an RN than that I'm a nurse. Over time I have adjusted to it, but it's funny because sometimes patients are reluctant to call me a nurse b/c they're afraid they'll insult me. They always almost refer to me as their "male nurse". I don't ever expect the title to change, but I wouldn't mind being called a 'medic' or something like that. Perhaps the title could just apply to male nurses. The tie of the word nursing to breastfeeding and past stereotypes is just too strong in my mind, but I think I'll live.

[Fiona59]

Since there are Patient Care Techs, how about Patient Care Managers?

Rhonda

That's what our unit managers are called....

[KJB_65]

Naw. I'm a Nurse. That's all I am and all I will ever want to be. The public is confused enough at what we are. Throw in another title and forget it. I don't think we would ever recover as a profession. Just my opinion. Sometimes it is better to leave things alone.